Journal of Environmental Biology September 2009, 30(5) 741-746 (2009) ©Triveni Enterprises, Lucknow (India) For personal use only Free paper downloaded from: ww w. jeb.co.in Commercial distribution of this copy is illegal Environmental factors as influencing vegetation communities in Acipayam district of Turkey Kursad Ozkan* Department of Soil and Ecology, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta - 32260, Turkey (Received: October 03, 2007; Revised received: March 05, 2008; Accepted: July 05, 2008) Abstract: In this study, a data set from Mediterranean mountain forests of southern Anatolia, consisting of species cover and environmental measures in 99 sample plots was analyzed with cluster analysis, indicator species analysis, MRPP, NMDS and sperman rank correlation. Results illustrated two vegetation gradients related to factor complexes of altitude-landform and parent material-land surface smoothness.y Axis I of the ordination was strongly related to limestone, serpantine, conglomerate, marl from parent material group, middle slope from slope position group, concave, convex, linear and undulate from landform group, A I, A II, A III and A IV from altitude group, and rocky and erosion pavement from land surface smoothness group. Axis II was strongly related to limestone, serpantine, smooth surface, rocky surface and A III. Key words: Indicator species, Species distribution, Vegetation patterns, Topography, Species groups PDF of full length paper is available online p Introduction predict differences in site index and thus site suitability for some species The classification of ecological species groups is one of the and can therefore support decision making in forest restoration, methods used for discerning vegetation-environment relationships management and planningo (Fontaine et al ., 2007). The use of natural together with an analysis of communities and individual species (Abella vegetation as an indicator for site quality provides good results, due to and Covington, 2006). Ecological species groups consist of co- the close relationship it has with abiotic site characteristics (Wang, 2000; occurring plant species sharing similar environmental affinities (Spies Berge‘s et al ., 2006; Waring et al ., 2006). and Barnes, 1985; Godart, 1989; Grabherr et al ., 2003; Ozcelik et Mediterranean forests in Turkey have very important al., 2008). Such study identify the environmental gradients correlated position, notC only because of their species diversity but also because with species distributions, classifies species assemblages occupying of their composition and complex structure. One of the components similar environmental complexes, and relates species distributions to of this complexity is the heterogeneity of habitats, which influences management-oriented variables such as tree growth (Hix, 1988; Host the spatial distribution of plant species. Spatial heterogeneity in the and Pregitzer, 1991). Once species groups are developed for an area, physical environment is an important factor contributing to the their distribution can be used for inferring soil characteristics and other commonly high plant species diversity of Mediterranean forests, as variables (Pregitzer and Barnes, 1982; Meilleur et al ., 1992). evariation in resource availability. Species groups have typically been constructed using The studies carried out by Atalay (1987) and Kantarci (1991) combinations of field observations, inspection of tabular species-site on the forest ecosystems in the Mediterranean region of Turkey have matrices, and multivariate analyses such as cluster analysis (Spies and attracted a great attention of the researchers from different disciplines. Barnes, 1985; Godart, 1989; Kashian et al ., 2003). As in many Latest study on vegetation-environment relationships has been carried multivariate studies in plant ecology, species groups aren hypotheses out in Aglasun district of this region (Fontaine et al ., 2007). However, about species distributions and their relationships to environmental factors. there is a need for more detailed studies. These hypotheses have practical value for estimatinig site conditions, and are tractable for refinement through experimental research Acipayam district is located in the Mediterranean region of developing causal relationships about speciesl distributions (Pabst and Turkey. The district has faced intense human activity for hundreds Spies, 1998). On the other hand, different communities are characterized of years for fuel wood, timber and livestock grazing. This long by distinct indicator species which show unique responses to the present human interference has led to a significant reduction of forest cover environmental gradients. Due to the impossibility to perform complete while about half of the remaining forest can be considered degraded species inventories in most forest ecosystems,n the use of indicator species and unproductive. Therefore, vegetation-environment relationships on Acipayam district will provide more detailed information about has been proposed to assess forest biodiversity and the degree of Mediterranean ecosystems in Turkey as well as fundamental naturalness (Peterken, 1996). An indicator species is any biological information in terms of forestry management and applications including species that defines a trait or characteristic of the environment. It may restoration, afforestation, conservation, utilization and sustainability. delineate an ecoregion or indicate species competition or climate change. Such species can be among the most sensitive species in a region, Materials and Methods acting as an earlyO warning for monitoring. Also, they can be used to O Study area: The study area Acipayam forest district is situated in * Corresponding author: [email protected] southern Anatolia between 37 o45' N, 28 o98' E, 400-2000 m above Journal of Environmental Biology September, 2009 Fig. 2: Fig. Journal of Environmental Biology Environmental of Journal 1: Fig. 742 in Acipayam (941m above sea level) ranged fromsealevel)ranged2 Acipayam (941mabove in t monthly mean the 2003 to 1970 From 1988). (Cepel, drought summer and precipitation winter pronounced km co andsystemUTMcoordinate to accordinglevel sea 2 (Fig. 1). A coolandsub-humid (Fig.A 1).Mediterranean clima Classification and cutting levels of sample plots sample levelsof Classificationcutting and Absentage districtAcipayam the in plots sample Locationof Distance (Objective function) 92EO + 04 4.3E + 00 8.5E + 00 1.3E + 01 1.7E + 01 S1 S56 S58 S66 S60 S62 S63 S64 S5 September, 2009 September, S6 S34 S52 n S55 S7 S9 S43 S10 S57 S65 S59 S61 S2 l S50 S32 S44 from the Acipayam district in southern Anatolia, Tu Anatolia, southernin Acipayamdistrict the from S45 Turkey Mediterraneanregion,from S46 i predominates S89 o C (January) C S3 emperature S4 S48 2365 vers S69 n S42 S90 tewith S33 S29 S91 S94 S30 S31 S49 S68 S88 e S53 year predominating.Besides, Mesozoic agedserpentine, N S11 24.4 to S12 S13 S67 S51 S54 -1 S47 (DMI, 2003). S35 o C (July) and the mean annual precipitationannual 520 meanthe and was (July) C S38 thestudyarea,MesozoicInand Paleozoic limestone S39 S41 S36 S37 S40 S8 C S19 S15 S14 S97 S16 S18 S17 rkey S73 S74 S99 S20 S75 S27 o S22 S21 S80 S82 S24 S28 S85 S87 S96 S25 p S72 S71 S81 S23 S83 S98 S26 S70 S84 S76 Ozkan Kursad S77 y S78 S79 S86 S95 S92 eolithic S93 mm is Effects of environmental factors on vegetation communities 743 topography. Most soils can be classified as leptosols, regosols or cambisols (FAO et al., 1998) depending on shallowness and stoniness. The study area is covered by Mediterranean mountain forests (about 40%) mainly composed of Pinus brutia Ten. (Brutian pine) and Pinus nigra Arn. ssp. pallasiana (Lamb.) Holmboe (Crimean pine) together with the species of Quercus and Juniperus . The Axis II remaining part of the area consists of agricultural land. It has a long history of human settlement and forest utilization, including a high grazing pressure. Data collection and statistical analysis: Ninety nine sample plots were selected. Cover estimates were madey for vascular plant species using Braun Blanquet scale Braun-Blanquet (1932) in each plot. The species were coded and are given in Table A1. Braun Axis I Fig. 3: NMDS ordination of 99 sample plots in the Acipayam district. Sample Blanquet scores were transformed to relative cover (r: 0.01; +: plots are labeled according to three communities produced by cluster and 0.02; 1: 0.04; 2: 0.15; 3: 0.375; 4: 0.625p and 5: 0.875) (Fontaine et indicator species analysis: Group I ( ); Group II ( ); Group III ( ) al ., 2007). Altitude, slope degree, slope position, aspect, landform, parent material, and land surface smoothness were recorded. Table - 1: Three plant communities in the Acipayam district in southern Altitude and slope degree have numerical values. The others have Anatolia, Turkey, as determined by indicator species analysis qualitative values. Hence, all environmental characteristics were Species Group Value Mean SD p categorized for applicationo analytical methods and coded (Table Junexc 1 77.1 21.7 4.35 0.001 A2). Thus, all environment data matrix was converted to”0" and “1” Taxbac 1 28.3 6.5 3.00 0.001 values. The sample plots were coded from the first sample plot to the Phlarm 1 53.7 12.2 3.94 0.001 last one as S1 to S99. Euhorb 1 44.7 14.4 3.77 0.001 Lonetr 1 28.6 5.6 2.61 0.002 TheC 99 sample plots of vegetation matrix were repeatedly Roscan 1 12.8 4.5 2.42 0.008 clustered into 2-10 groups using a Sorensen distance measurement Poptre 1 14.3 4.2